Resealable container



July 4, 1961 w. L. HUGHES 2,991,001

RESEALABLE CONTAINER Filed April e, 1959 WHEIZJAM L.HUGHES United States Patent O 2,991,001 `RESEALABLE CONTAINER William L. Hughes, 742 E. 25th St., Norfolk, Va. Filed Apr. 6, 1959, Ser. No. 804,521 4 Claims. (Cl. 229-62) The present invention relates to a resealable food package and a method of making same, particularly a package having intermediate its ends a mutually ydisposed resealing portion for continuously protecting the packaged contents, once the package permanent seal has been broken and the 4package entered.

'I'he present application is `a continuation-impart of applicants application Serial No. 685,689 for Package, tiled September 23, 1957 and `issued August 16, v19,60 as Patent No. 2,949,370.

In the packaging industry there hasl been a long-felt need for a resealingmeans which,.1once a .package .has been opened, would be 4available for continuously protecting the packaged contents from the deleterious eifectsof moisture, dirt, foreign articles and the like. Numerous packagers have devised folding means for reclosing a package liner and even have compartmentalized the packaged contents into `small inner packages so that only a portion of `the entire package contents are exposed to moisture at any ione time. In .applicants `aforementioned parent application, applicant has described a .resealable package constructed by periphera'lly slotting a package adjacent its entrance end and simultaneously applying a pressure-sensitive tape to overliethe slot so formed. As will vbe apparent, 'in such construction portions of the pressure sensitive 'tape are 'thus inwardly disposed for mutual adhesion and, thus, resealing of the packaged contents. Applicant also' described in the parent .application, numerous modilications of said invention, including means Ifor selectively covering "the inwardly exposed pressure sensitive tape surfaces, so that the contents of the package .in migrating through 'the .entrance would .not necessarily be exposed vto same.

The instant invention Vis 'a .substantial vimprovement over applicants .aforementioned resealingmeans, since it provides more effectively for covering .ofthe resealingpressure sensitive surfaces of the tape and eliminates the necessity for peripheral slotting of the package. According to the instant invention, a resealing path is defined upon a package by parallely per-forating a package blank at its periphery. Simultaneously with said perforation, a tear strip, such as the type used in cigarette packaging, is applied exterior-ly to said path so that a tab portion of said strip protrudes beyond a longitudinal edge of said blank. Sequential to application of the tear strip, a pressure sensitive tape is applied to overlie both the tear strip and the resealing path. 'Ihe package blank is prepared for use by folding it centrally longitudinally so that the pressure sensitive tape and tear strip are disposed outwardly of the package, yet a tab portion of the tear strip protrudes interiorly of the package. The opposed longitudinal edges of the blank as well as an end thereof .may then be sealed, food ingredients inserted therein and an entrance end sealed. Subsequently, upon opening of the package and partial removal of the packaged contents the resealing means is actuated by pulling of the tear strip inwardly and thus tearing 4from the package of the peripheral path deiined by the parallel perforations. As the resealing path is torn, pressure sensitive portions of the tape are thus; exposed for mutual adhesion and resealing of the package.

Manifestly, the instant invention may be applied to various types of food packages such as those constructed of cellophane, cardboard, kraft paper, polyvinyls and the like. The invention may be applied with great etect to conventional inner collapsible wrappers which are housed in cardboard cartons for cereal, cracker, cookie and like packages. Additionally, the resealing means may be applied to llour and sugar bags and as well as a myriad number of non-food types of packages which do not have resealing means, e.g. dry cleaners clothes bags, moth-proof bags and the like. Also, the instant invention provides a means for attaching a .body such as insulating material, a vapor barrier, tar paper or the like to an adjoining surface. In its adaptation as an attaching means `the instant invention may be applied to portions of parent vmaterial and the tear strip removed to tear a sealing path in the parent material. Thus, the pressure sensitive portions of the tape Iare exposed .and may be urged against the surface to which the material is to be attached. It is even suggested that the instant resealing means may be disposed :on a single side or on opposed sides of a file folder, envelope .or the like yfor sealing of the `ile `folder sides or the .envelope ap together. i

Accordingly, it is an object of invention to provide in a food package pressure-sensitive resealing means which are not operable except upon individual actuation .by the package user.

Another .object of invention is to provide in a package means for effectively shielding pressure-sensitive resealing mea-ns 'from the contents of said package Another object of invention is to provide a method for applying .selectively actuable resealing means to a foodpackage.

Yet, other objects of invention will become .apparent from the attached drawing and ensuing specification, wherein:

CFIG. 1 is an enlarged cross section (partially fragmentary) of the neck portion of a package to which the instant r-esealing means is applied, Ashowing the ,tear strip superposed within a path dened by dual perforations and `the .pressure sensitive tape overlying same.

FIG. 2 is a plan View (partially fragmentary) .O f a package blank to which the resealing means has been applied `and showing the tear strip -tab protruding beyond the .longitudinal edge of saidblank, p

FIG. 3 is a plan view slightly enlarged from the outside (partially fragmentary) of the package blank showing the tear strip protruding beyond the longitudinal edge of said blank and being superposed within the peripheral path and the pressure sensitive tape means being applied over said tear strip and said path,

FIG. 4 -is a perspective view of a collapsible food package, such as the type used for potato chips, showing the inwardly disposed tear strip tab in state of removal from the pressuressensitive tape and, thus, tearing a peripheral path for mutual exposure of pressure sensitive portions of the tape.

In FIG. 4 collapsible bag 10 is illustrated as having body portion 12, closed base 14, sides 16 which may or may not be pleated neck portion 18. Collapsible bag neck portion 18 comprises upper neck portion 20 and lower neck portion 22 dened by parallel, peripheral perforations 36.

As indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3, collapsible bag 10 is made from a blank which is transversely dually perforated to define a resealing path. Superposed within the path is tear strip 28 which protrudes over a longitudinal edge thereof to form tear string tab 30. Pressure-sensitive reseal-ing tape 24 is applied to overlie tear string 28 and its path 26.

Bag 10 is formed from the blank by centrally longitudinally folding a blank so that tear string 28 and the pressure-sensitive tape 24 are outwardly exposed, yet tear string tab 30 is inwardly disposed of the fold. The bag open edges may be closed by heat, glue or the like and bag base 14 may be similarly closed. Then, food contents may be introduced into the bag so formed and permanent seal 32 applied to neck portion 18 or bag entrance.

Upon opening of the packageand removal ofits con-` tents, a user may break permanent seal 32. and partially empty the contents. Then, the user may actuate the resealing means by pulling inwardly tear string tab. 30 to tear a peripheral path 26 in bag 10, as defined by per? forations 36 and thus expose inner adhesive surfaces 34 of resealing tape 24 for mutual adhesion and thus resealing of bag 10.

Manifestly, various types of sealing means may be employed so that resealing is effective against liquid contents having especial acid, alkaline or similarly destructive properties and various modifications of construction and re-arranging of the steps of the instant method might be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of invention as degned by the subjoined claims.

I claim:

l. In a container having a body portion and an entrance at one end thereof, a resealing means overlying a peripheral resealing path defined by perforations in said container and comprising, a tear strip adjacent the ex-l terior of Vsaid resealing path and protruding into said container, and a pressure-sensitive tape overlying said tear strip, and said path, said tear strip being disengageable from said tape to tear and remove said resealing path and, thus, expose pressure sensitive portions of said tape for mutual adhesion and resealing of said container.

2. A resealable container comprising a body portion, an extrance at one end in said body portion thereof and, resealing means peripherally 'disposed in said body adjacent said entrance, said resealing means overlying a peripheral path defined at its sides by perforations in said body and said resealing means including, a tear stripl lying on said path and protruding therethrough as a tab within said package and a pressure-sensitive tape overlying said tear strip and said path, said tear strip being inwardly disengageable from said tape to tear, as limited by said perforations, said container and, thus, expose pressure-sensitive portions of said tape for mutual ad; hesion and resealing of said package.

'3. A resealable container comprising a body portion having an entrance atl one' end thereof and resealing means mutually disposed intermediate the ends `of said body portion, said resealing means including a tear strip peripherally attached to said container and defining a resealing path about said container and a pressure-sensitive tape overlying said tear' strip, said tear strip being disengageable from said tape to tear a path in said container and, thus, expose pressure sensitive portions of said tape for mutual adhesion `and resealing of said container, said resealing path being further defined by perforations made in said container adjacent each side of said tear strip.

4. A resealable container comprising a body portion having an entrance at one end thereof and resealing means mutually disposed intermediate the ends of said body portion, said resealing means including a tear strip' peripherally attached to one surface of said container and dening a resealing path labout said container and a pressure sensitive tape overlying said tear strip, said tear strip being narrower than said pressure sensitive tape, and being positioned longitudinally and medially thereof, adhesive surfaces of pressure-sensitive tape on each side of said tear strip being secured to said one surface of said container, means on another surface of said containerA providing access to one end of said tear strip, said tear strip being disengageable from said tape to tear a path inv said container and, thus, expose pressure-sensitive por# tions of said tape for mutual adhesion and resealing of said container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,987,545 Alexander Jan. 8, 1935 1,992,152 Yeates Feb. 19, 1935I 2,046,975 Shaw et al. July 7, 1936 2,475,236 Gollub `Iuly 5, 1949 2,476,564 Rosen July 19, 1949 2,647,334 Wilsher et al. Aug. 4, 1953l 2,699,286 Gefroy Jan. 11, 1955 2,819,010 Arniguet Jan. 7, 1958 2,825,497 Hitt Mar. 4, 1958 2,859,907 McFarland Nov. ll, 1958 2,864,285 Roselius Dec. 16, 1958 2,874,890 Evanstein Feb. 24, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 393,199 Great Britain June l, 1933 1,063,798 France Dec. 16, 

